Improvement in carriage-curtain fastenings



F. BAUMGARTNER.) Carriage-Curtain 1?asteninggs.

No. 216,499. Patented June 1?, 1879..

N. PETERS, PHrJraLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK BAUMGARTNER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARRIAGE-CURTAIN FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,499, dated June 17, 1879; application filed December 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK BAUMGART- NER, of Brooklyn, Kings count-y, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage-Curtain Fastenin gs, of i which the following is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to the attachment of the straps and buckles to the curtains of carriage-tops; and it consists in an improved form of leather socket or cap, in which the ends of the straps or buckles are received, and i by which they are fixed to the curtains; also,

in an improved fastening for fixing the said caps to the curtain, as hereinafter set forth.

Figure l of the drawings represents a front view of a portion of a carriage-curtain withtermed a loop, is usually placed over the at tached end of the strap or buckle to serve to secure it to the curtain, and at the same time conceal the attached end and give an ornamental finish to the work. These caps or loops are generally formed either of stamped leather stitched around the edge directly to the curtain or of sheet metal stamped to imitate leather, and provided with prongs on the base or under side, which extend through the curtain and are clinched on the inner surface thereof.

The aim of my invention is to provide an improved form of leather cap or loop and a fastening therefor which will have the advantages of cheapness and readiness of attachment and give a better appearance to the work, and which at the same time may be furnished in the form of complete articles of manufacture for general sale to carriage-makers for direct attachment to their work.

In the drawings, d d represent the curtain,

and A A the attaching-caps fixed to the curtain over the attached ends of the strap and buckle, as shown. These caps A are formed from leather stamped up in the usual shape; but instead of being stitched directly to the curtain around the edge, as has been the case heretofore with leather caps, they are attached to a small leather base, a, of similar outline to the cap, by a line of stitching all around the edge, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, which gives the cap a finished appearance, and one which is preferred by car'riagemakers. Thus formed the caps can be made quite cheap. the material being comparatively inexpensive, and the mode of manufacture simpler than is the case with the metal caps, while they are rendered capable of being attached to the curtain in a more direct and simple manner than the usual leather caps.

The caps A A are attached to the curtain by metal plates B, which are formed with T- shaped prongs b b struck up therefrom. The fastening plates or plate is placed inside the caps or cap in contact with its base a, with which it is similar in outline, the T-shaped prongs being forced through the base and through the curtain, so as to project from the inner surface of the curtain, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

A locking-plate, 0, also metallic, and provided with T-shaped slots 0 c, is placed over the T-shaped prongs b b, is pressed. into close contact with the surface of the curtain, and is then slid lengthwise, so that the T-heads of the prongs become engaged and locked to the plate in the narrow part of the slots, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The locking-plate O is prevented from any lengthwise movement in the direction which would release the prongs by the denting of its edges in against the curtain, and also by a wire staple, e, which serves to connect the strap 9 to the curtain.

It will be seen that the attached end of the strap g is thus concealed in the cap A and is secured to the curtain by this staple c, which is passed through the strap, through the base a of the cap, and through the curtain, and is then clinched or twisted over the edges of the locking-plate G, as shown. On the other hand, the buckle f is attached to the curtain directly by means of eyes h h, formed on one of the fastening plates B and encircling the rear cross-bar of the buckle, thus securely connecting the buckle with the curtain and permitting its free hingin g movement thereon. This, he -rever, is not claimed as specially novel.

By the improved construction described it will be seen that the caps, together with the straps and buckles, are very readily and securely connected with the curtain, while a superior appearance of finish 'is imparted to the work of a character which is more salable and much preferred by the manufacturer. At the same time the construction of the caps and t'astenings is simple and cheap, and they can be readily manufactured in quantities and sold to carriage-makers complete for direct use, as required.

Instead of the T-headed prongs on the fastening-plates and the T-slots on the lockingplates, a simple equivalent, which I sometimes use, is to provide the fastening-plates with a projecting wire staple, and form the lockingplate with an ordinary slot or hole, through which the looped end of the staple is projected, a wire T or cross-bar being then inserted in the loop of the staple to form the T- head thereon, and thus hold it locked to the plate. The T heads and slots, however, are preferred.

I am aware thatit is not new to use a metal loop having a portion of the material of which it is formed turned under to form a means of securing it to any article to which it is to be attached; that metal loops have been provided with pins to pass through the curtain, and that leather loops without bases have been marginally stitched to curtains; but neither of these cases show a leather loop mar ginally stitched to a suitable base, so as to be readily attached to a curtain by means of the plate that carries the buckle or secures the strap, as in my improvement, which allows of leather loops being conveniently used in place of metal loops, which have been found very inconvenient and objectionable from the liability of being damaged by an accidental blow and from the japan varnish peeling off, and thus leaving the metal unsightly and in a condition to oxidize and rapidly wearaway. The leather loop can be readily stitched to the base-plate by a sewing-machine, and the loop thus easily attached to any part of a carriagecurtain, dash-board, 850., even when these articles are in position on the carriage, whereas any attempt to secure the common leather loops under like circumstances would require sewing by hand.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with the stamped leather cap A, provided with a suitable base-plate of similar material, to which it is marginally stitched, of a metal plate, B, provided with a suitable fastening device adapted to pass through said leather base-plate and through the curtain, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a leather loop, A, provided with a leather base-plate, a, to which it is marginally stitched, of the metallic fastening-plates B 0, formed, respectively, with interlocking T-shaped prongs and T-shaped slots, arranged and operating substantially as herein shown and described.

. FREDK. BAUMGARTNER.

Witnesses EDWARD H. WALEs, CHAS. M. HIGGINS. 

